July 2026 Feature Release - The Guardians Edition

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month's feature release for The Guardians, nominated by me (Shadowdoom9 (Andi)), is the 2017 debut album by Japanese power metal heroines Lovebites, Awakening from Abyss. Lovebites is perhaps the most influential Japanese all-female metal band in the past decade besides Babymetal, and I felt up to adding that group to discussion. Their 2017 debut and the already-featured 2018 EP Battle Against Damnation are the best place to start to take a bite of their majestic sound.

https://metal.academy/releases/12273

I've done my review, here's its summary:

The 2010s saw the rise of the modern Japanese all-female rock/metal scene, with bands like Aldious, Band-Maid, and of course, Babymetal. And then comes Lovebites, a unique band putting a new twist to the world of Japanese power metal. In many songs, the rhythm section is in perfect execution via drummer Haruna and bassist Miho, both formerly of Destrose. The guitar duo Midori and Mi-ya perform intense guitarwork. And of course, the gorgeous wide-ranged vocal dynamics of Asami. Now if there's someone for me to thank for getting me interested in Lovebites, it would be Beyond the Black with their song "Can You Hear Me?" featuring Asami. Her vocals made me up for her band before I've even seen what they look like. And that's good since people seem to think they're a J-pop band before even hearing their actual music. Those kick-A rippin' riffs and melodies should not be missed out on. So go ahead, give them a try!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Shadowmaker", "Scream for Me", "The Apocalypse", "Don't Bite the Dust", "Edge of the World", "Bravehearted"

For fans of: Aldious, Galneryus, Stratovarius

First thing to note is that I didn't completely hate this. Yeah I know, no one was more surprised than me, but I was swept along by the obvious enthusiasm and energy of the band and kind of went along for the ride. The speedy riffs and shredding solos are pretty entertaining, the riffs to both "Scream for Me" and "Burden of Time" for example stood out as being much heavier than I would have expected. Vocalist Asami is a big plus, sounding both melodic and reasonably powerful, although I am not so keen when she reaches for those really high notes and becomes a bit screechingly ragged, although this seems to be a feature of power metal generally that I just can't get to grips with. It is power metal after all so, of course, it is larger than life and over-the-top with keyboard overlays and some layered backing vocals, but not in a terribly cringey manner, ultimately being more operatic than pantomime. I do think that the album runs out of steam after "Burden of Time" and tracks like "The Apocalypse", "Inspire" and the godawfully balladic "Edge of the World" (the album's nadir for me) sound more like the kind of power metal that I struggle with.

Look, in truth this isn't going to break into my top 500 (or even 1000) metal albums and I am unlikely ever to pass this way again, but while it lasted I found it entertaining enough and I got through the whole thing pretty easily without a single skip and remarkably few cringes. In fact, if it had ended with "Burden of Time" I would have thought even more highly of it. Damning with faint praise then? Yeah, probably, but for me and power metal this was an untypically positive experience with the guitars and vocals being sufficiently impressive to keep me on board and to allow me to forgive the album its other obvious excesses, not least of which is the ear-batteringly, over-compressed mastering that makes it feel like it is being rammed into your ears with a steamhammer - and not in a good way!

3/5